Updated Schedule for Allergy Shots

We will be closed the following days due to the holidays

November 26 and 27, 2009 - Closed

December 1, 2009 - Closed at 2:30 PM

December 24 and 25, 2009 - Closed

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Most Patients With Vaccine Allergy May Be Safely Vaccinated

From Medscape Medical News

By Laurie Barclay, MD

October 20, 2009 — Most patients with vaccine allergy may be safely vaccinated, according to a practice parameter published in the October issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. However, the new guidelines also recommend that patients with suspected allergy to vaccines or vaccine components be evaluated by an allergist or immunologist vs simply avoiding future immunizations, which could leave patients at higher risk for infectious disease.

The new recommendations were issued by the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters, representing the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; and the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

"Local, injection site reactions and constitutional symptoms, especially fever, are common after vaccinations and do not contraindicate future doses," chief editor John M. Kelso, MD, from the Division of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology at Scripps Clinic in San Diego, California, said in a news release.

Summary Statements in the Parameter

Specific summary statements in the parameter include the following:

1. Mild local reactions, fever, and other constitutional symptoms after vaccinations occur often and are not a contraindication to subsequent doses.
2. Anaphylactic reactions after vaccination are rare, with incidence of approximately 1 per million doses.
3. Even if the vaccine is not clearly the cause, all serious events occurring after vaccine administration should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
4. Measurement of IgG antibody levels to the immunizing antigen in a vaccine suspected of causing a serious adverse reaction can determine if levels are protective and whether subsequent doses are needed.
5. Ideally, all suspected anaphylactic reactions to vaccines should be evaluated so that the responsible allergen may be identified.
6. Gelatin, egg protein, or other vaccine components are more likely than the immunizing agent itself to cause IgE-mediated reactions to vaccines.
7. Immediate-type allergy skin testing should be performed in patients who appear to have had an anaphylactic reaction after vaccination. This testing should help confirm that the reaction was IgE mediated and identify the responsible vaccine component.
8. If the intradermal skin test result is negative, it is extremely unlikely that the patient has IgE antibody to any vaccine component, and the patient can be vaccinated in the usual manner. In a patient with a history suggesting anaphylactic reaction, however, it is prudent to vaccinate with the patient under observation and to have epinephrine and other emergency treatment available.
9. In patients with history and skin tests results suggesting an IgE-mediated reaction to a vaccine but who need additional doses of the suspected vaccine or other vaccines with shared ingredients, the clinician can consider administering the vaccine in graded doses while observing the patient.
10. There are other less common but more serious reactions to vaccines, but only a few represent absolute contraindications to future doses.
11. Pregnant women should not be given live vaccines.
12. Live vaccines should generally not be given to immunocompromised persons.
13. Epidemiologic studies have not supported associations between specific vaccines or vaccination in general with long-term sequelae such as atopy, autism, and multiple sclerosis.

"The 2 key points of the practice parameter are that (1) patients with suspected allergy to vaccines or vaccine components should be evaluated by an allergist/immunologist and (2) most patients with suspected allergy to vaccines can receive vaccination safely," the guidelines authors conclude.

Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2009;103:S1-14.

FDA Warns Against H1N1 Flu Supplements

from WebMD — a health information Web site for patients

Daniel J. DeNoon

October 19, 2009 — Beware fake "Tamiflu" sold over the Internet, the FDA warns.

The FDA recently bought five different products advertised online as "Tamiflu" or as treatments for the 2009 H1N1 swine flu.

Some of the pills contained only talc and acetaminophen. Some had various amounts of oseltamivir, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. None was the real thing; all are illegal in the U.S.

Moreover, all the fake "Tamiflu" products arrived by mail too late to do any good -- even if they had been the real thing.

"Medicines purchased from web sites operating outside the law put consumers at increased risk due to a higher potential that the products will be counterfeit, impure, contaminated, or have too little or too much of the active ingredient," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, says in a news release.

There are only two drugs approved by the FDA for treatment of H1N1 swine flu: Tamiflu and Relenza. Both drugs are available only by prescription.

SOURCES:

News release, FDA.

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Abraham Research - Diabetes Type 2 Study

If you’re having trouble controlling your diabetes, consider participating in HARMONY, a research
study evaluating an investigational diabetes medication that’s taken only once a week.

You can find out more about the study at the HARMONY Type 2 Diabetes Research site.

If interested call Abraham Research at 859-371-3797 to speak to a Research Coordinator

www.AbrahamResearch.com

Daily Nebulizers Advised for Preschoolers With Frequent Wheezing

From Reuters Health Information

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Oct 09 - The most effective way to manage frequent wheezing in preschool children is regular treatment with nebulized glucocorticoids, according to a report in the October issue of Allergy.

The authors of the report also suggest that as-needed use of a bronchodilator and glucocorticoid combination, which is commonly practiced, may be an alternative.

Dr. Leonardo M. Fabbri, of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy, and colleagues conducted a trial in which 276 children ages 1 to 4 years with frequent wheeze were randomized to nebulized treatment with one of three regimens for 12 weeks: 400 mcg beclomethasone twice daily plus 2500 mcg salbutamol as needed; placebo plus a combination of 800 mcg beclomethasone/1600 mcg salbutamol as needed, or placebo plus 2500 mcg salbutamol as needed.

The primary outcome measure -- percentage of symptom-free days -- was significantly higher with daily beclomethasone (69.6%) compared with as-needed salbutamol (61.0%; p = 0.034).

Regular treatment with nebulized beclomethasone also improved several secondary outcomes, including nocturnal wakening and exacerbations.

There was no difference in percentage of symptom-free days between children with or without risk factors for asthma.

Allergy 2009;64:1463-1471.

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Worst Cities for Allergies 2009

Top Worst 10 Cities for Allergies and Asthma for 2009

1. St. Louis, MO
2. Milwaukee, WI
3. Birmingham, AL
4. Chattanooga, TN
5. Charlotte, NC
6. Memphis, TN
7. Knoxville, TN
8. McAllen, TX
9. Atlanta, GA
10. Little Rock, AR

See the rest of the top 100 cities worse for allergies at the AAFA website

Asthma-Swine Flu Q&A

Just wanted to direct you to a website, Asthma UK, that gives good, easy to understand advice for asthmatics who have questions on the H1N1 flu. My advice to all my asthma patients is that they need to get the seasonal influenza and H1N1 influenza vaccines. Also remember that children and pregnant women are high risk groups for the swine flu. Stay well, stay healthy.

Have you ever heard of
www.landomainiums.com?

Seasonal Ragweed Allergy?

We are looking for participants for a study on investigational sublingual immunotherapy. To qualify you must be:

• 18 - 50 years old
• Received treatment for the condition for at least 2 years including the previous ragweed season
• Not on immunotherapy(allergy shots) within the last 5 years.

Please call 859-371-3797 and ask for the research coordinator.

www.AbrahamResearch.com

Personal Protection

A unique handy non-alcohol based, antibacterial/antiviral spray is available out there. This spray is currently being used by EMS/EMT, Law Enforcement and Health Care providers as an antiseptic agent that can be sprayed, even into the face, in the event of an accidental exposure to body fluids, such as blood, sputum or urine. This solution is non-alcohol based thus, non-irritating, and safe enough to be sprayed into the face for accidental exposure to potentially infectious fluids. Check their website at www.myclyns.com for more details.

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